Heba Hashem

Impact

How neutrality became the UAE’s strongest economic asset

Companies once rotated through the region and left. The ones arriving now are building permanent headquarters, and the signals in the hiring data explain why
How neutrality became the UAE's strongest economic asset
Impact

Egypt doubles down on EVs—can it become a regional hub?

Egypt’s fleet sector has quietly electrified faster than anyone expected. The question now is whether the policy and infrastructure can keep up
Impact

Why Saudi Arabia’s urban future is about livability. Not just smart systems

The country has become one of the world’s largest smart city laboratories—testing technology, infrastructure, and urban design across its national landscape.
Impact

UAE’s crisis response shows that businesses can be a social safety net

The UAE’s private sector proved that empathy is the ultimate hedge against crisis
UAE’s crisis response shows that businesses can be a social safety net
Technology

AI is rewriting M&A in MENA. But not every firm is ready

Wider adoption in the MENA region faces challenges like data sensitivity, regulatory hurdles, and skills gaps.
Green Goals

Can you eat your food, and the packaging too? That’s the next frontier in food sustainability

Edible packaging is moving beyond novelty into targeted, real-world applications, but its success will depend on design, language, and where it’s deployed
Impact

MENA’s circular revolution: These startups are turning waste into wealth

From Cairo to Jeddah to Dubai, homegrown innovators are turning some of the most stubborn waste streams into valuable, scalable products
MENA’s circular revolution These startups are turning waste into wealth
Work Life

Gen Z is ready to work. But is the Gulf’s job market ready for them?

It’s graduate hiring season across the Gulf, and a critical question emerges: Why do so many young professionals feel stuck before they start?
Gen Z is ready to work. But is the Gulf’s job market ready for them
Technology

From checks to proptech. Is AI making the UAE’s real estate market more transparent?

AI-driven proptech is giving UAE buyers, agents, and investors a new edge in a market dominated by manual processes
From checks to proptech. Is AI making the UAE’s real estate market more transparent
Work Life

UAE employers are fixated on local experience. Is it a competitive edge or an outdated obstacle?

In a country built on global talent, the UAE’s insistence on local experience is sparking debate over whether it’s a safeguard for employers—or a roadblock for newcomers.
UAE employers are fixated on local experience. Is it a competitive edge or an outdated obstacle
Most Innovative Companies